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Silent Images on the Field in Uganda

David — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:57:11 +0000

Uganda

David — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:22:51 +0000

When Ugandan youth commit crimes of murder of theft they are sent to the Naguru Prison in Kampala. The warden grants me approval to photograph inside the prison, and I meet Alex, a 16 year old boy who is months away from completing his 2- year sentence.
“What are you going to do when you get out, Alex?” I ask him as the suns sets behind him.
Alex lifts his eyes from the dirt at his feet, and he looks me in the eye, and says, “ I want to be a pilot or a journalist.. I know it will be difficult to reenter the society and regain the trust of everyone, my family included. But I remember reading in the Bible somewhere that the ‘Lord has plans for me…plans of a new hope and future.,’ or something like that. That is why I go out with confidence and courage. God will be with me.”
The young prisoners desire is a second chance. We all desire a second chance…and most of us, me included, often need third or fourth chances. Alex and his friends are working hard to prepare themselves for this second chance. They spend their days learning new skills, exercising, praying and singing songs of praise to God for their second chance.

As I spent the next 2 hours in the prison with Alex and his friends, I was reminded of the fears that I carry every day. Fears of what people will think, fears of failure, and fears of the unknown. There is no need to put me behind prison bars to strike fear in me…I am pretty good at imprisoning myself with fear. Behind locked doors and barbed wired fence, a 16 year old prisoner reminded me of my own fear and my failure to take advantage of the freedom God has granted me. Thanks for my second chance, God.

The photographs below are of the Naguru prison in Entebbe Uganda. I spent 2 hours with the prisoners as they played, exercised, ate, worshiped and prayed. Alex is the young man using my camera to photograph his friends.

Latest News

silentimg — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:56:00 +0000

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Honduras

David — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:36:00 +0000

She was abused all of her childhood and was dropped off on the street
at a dump with no one. She is now loving life and has many friends.
After seeing her smile time and time again, I felt as though I had
very minute problems. Transformation! Thank you Jesus. Only you can do
such a miracle. Her joy was not temporary, it was living inside of
her. What a testimony.

Charlotte Pregnancy Resource Center

David — Thu, 06 May 2010 11:38:49 +0000

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On June 11, the Silent Images team offered a day of free photography to the women and their babies at the Charlotte Pregnancy Resource Center. We hope that the photos will celebrate the beautiful babies and the courageous women who have chosen life. With the mothers’ approval, we have posted some images of these beautiful mothers and babies. It was an honor for the Silent Images volunteers to be a part of such a fun and meaningful day. We hope these images remind everyone of the sanctity of life!

You can read more about the center at:
http://www.prccharlotte.com/default.htm

Alice

David — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:49:45 +0000

Alice White made her first trip to Haiti over 30 years ago, and her heart has never left the nation. Through political instability, military threats, trade embargos, and an earthquake, Alice has been one of the few constants in the land. She has pushed through road blocks and has personally piloted cargo planes to bring relief to the Haitians. She started a medical clinic in a small community outside Cap Hatien in the early 1980’s and has served the community ever since. I had the honor of accompanying Alice on her final trip to Haiti to document her work and the legacy she leaves behind. People like Alice humble me and remind me that my greatest strength does not come from my body, but from my heart and from my God who calls me to leave this world a better place than I found it.

What the earthquake left behind…

David — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:41:23 +0000

Lory and his older brother, James, begin their long walk home after sharing their story with me about how they survived the earthquake in Port-au-Prince. James was fortunately in the street, but Lory was still in school. Lory attended a school of 300 in which 295 of the students died. Lory was one of the lucky 5; however, he lost his arm as he battled to uncover the ruble from himself. The brothers also lost both of their parents, so they moved to Cap Haiten to live with their older sister. Lory is now unable to pay for school and James is desperately looking for ways to get his younger brother educated. If you would like to sponsor children like Lory, please go to www.compassion.com and consider sponsoring a child in Haiti.

Amputees in Haiti

David — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:16:35 +0000

Today I spent the day at an amputee clinic that has been treating the survivors of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince. They were air lifted to Cap Hatien for emergency amputations. The hospital is completely funded by private donors and is doing amazing work with volunteer doctors from America. They are also employing dozens of Haitian nurses. If you are interested in donating any funds to the Sacre Coeur Hospital at Milot, please go to their website and donate. You can read about their work on CNN or a variety of other news sources.

No Healthcare Debate in Haiti

David — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:46:11 +0000

I have not really gotten too worked up over the controversial health care debate in America. I do have some opinions, but after seeing much of the developing world’s health care, I am just grateful for what we have. So whether you think we already over subsidize the system or we pay too much to giant insurance companies, one must agree that our accessibility to doctors is a blessing. I spent today with American doctors who are volunteering this week to serve Haiti. I watched the Haitians wait in the scorching sun all day to just get 5 minutes with a doctor. Most had not ever seen a doctor and have been battling chronic disease their entire life. I did not hear anyone demanding better health care, screaming about insurance companies, or shaking their fist at their government. I did not see doctors ask for insurance cards or send the patients off with any bills. What I witnessed today was the purest form of health care our world can provide. Skilled doctors who are doing their job because they love their patients, and sick people who are just grateful that there is someone to take care of them. There is nothing political, and there is nothing financial, but it was all beautiful. I know I am sometimes an idealist, but I just wish that more people’s hearts would be filled with more gratitude and less division and entitlement.

School Life in Port-au Prince

David — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:26:47 +0000

The schools behave much like the adult world in Haiti. There is a pressing forward and a sense of “business as usual,” but there are broken buildings and classrooms that, like ghosts, haunt the Haitians. One should not pause to gaze too long, or these ghosts will, once again, strike fear. Therefore, the buildings are ignored, so much so, that they are abandoned. Even if in good condition, the classrooms are left to themselves and school is conducted outside. The children gather under tarps and prefer to gamble with the rain than with the buildings. Even the chalkboards have not been erased, and still read “January 12, 2010.” With a sense of reverence for the day and the lives that were swallowed by the rubble, the schools have left the classrooms as they were the day of the quake.